Matteo Renzi and Flavio Briatore, does intermittent fasting work? What does the doctor say

2023-09-11 17:05:38

It is the diet of the moment that has seduced Hollywood stars and models, politicians and entrepreneurs. Matteo Renzi publicly praised her for having reduced his waistline and Flavio Briatore confessed that he managed to lose 20 kilos. It’s intermittent fasting. “Performing a caloric restriction for certain periods also becomes healthy” with “anti-aging effects”, says Mauro Minelli, immunologist and professor of ‘Foundations of dietetics and nutrition’ at Lum University, to time.news Salute, who takes stock of this diet . “The intermittent diet requires a lot of self-control, which translates into not indulging in mistakes, because repetition and above all alternation are fundamental to push the body to trigger those mechanisms that will lead us to lose fat and obtain benefits at an inflammatory and metabolic level” , he warns.

“There are many data published in various scientific journals that support the Mediterranean diet model as the best nutritional treatment of non-communicable chronic diseases, i.e. diabetes, atherosclerosis, tumors and lung diseases which WHO has defined as ‘the 4 big killer’ – recalls Minelli – In this context, as a tool for primary prevention and treatment of these pathologies, there has been an increased interest in food schemes aimed at modulating the intake of nutrients based on circadian rhythms or periods of abstention from more or less long periods of food alternating with periods of feeding. These alternatives to the Mediterranean diet have the aim of activating the metabolic pathways linked to catabolism, autophagy and those molecular mechanisms linked to the development of chronic diseases”.

Is the choice of many VIPs to focus on this diet correct? “If the ultimate aim is to also lose fat mass, carrying out a caloric restriction for certain periods also becomes healthy: the decrease in the ‘intake’ of nutrients can reduce the inflammatory state and can stimulate the start of processes useful for eliminating waste of cellular metabolism to the point of having anti-aging effects”.

“Intermittent fasting is a diet that involves alternating between fasting and non-fasting phases. Also known as a ’16/8′ scheme in which abstention from food is required for a period of 16 hours, time considered – continues Minelli – useful for our body to trigger the process of cellular regeneration and for the reduction of the production of free radicals which will determine a slowdown in cellular aging.Weight loss will be favored by the fact that in the fasting phase the cells deprived of their nourishment, they will use the stored fat as a source of energy.”

“The 16 hours of fasting are followed by 8 hours in which food is allowed. For example, an individual in good health will start eating at 8 in the morning and finish at 4 in the morning, and then resume eating the following day to 8,” he continues. “But to ensure that intermittent fasting produces positive effects, without having negative repercussions on our state of health, we must follow a healthy and balanced diet during non-fasting hours – specifies the immunologist – The selection of foods is very important and obviously foods particularly rich in fat or sugar will not be allowed. During the 16 hours of fasting, the intake of non-caloric drinks, such as coffee or tea and obviously water will still be allowed”.

According to Minelli, “it is however recommended not to approach intermittent fasting independently, but always rely on professional experts in nutrition – he underlines – to avoid energy and nutrient deficiencies or simply in order to be able to follow this diet in the best possible way and obtain the desired results. In the first few days – he observes – there could be a heightened sense of hunger accompanied by irritability, which will be useful to control with the help of a specialist”.

“Lastly, the intermittent diet requires a lot of self-control, which translates into not indulging in mistakes, because repetitiveness and above all alternation are essential for the body to trigger those mechanisms that will lead us to lose fat and obtain benefits at an inflammatory and metabolic,” he concludes.